Guy Wallace is the winner of the last Beautiful Yard Award of the season presented by the Monticello Parks and Beautification Committee. The traveling gnome can be found on 700 North in Guy’s beautifully landscaped front yard.

Guy has been on the property for 18 years. He removed most of the plants that were there previously and trees that blocked the natural light from entering his front windows.

He said he spent a lot of time learning what deer will and will not eat. Plants in the front are deer-resistant and include Black-eyed Susans, Daisies, Lambs Ear, and Cone Flowers. He has a Potentilla bush that is native to the area and deer don’t even touch it. Guy’s back and side yards are as beautiful as the front.

His grandmother always had violas in her yard and he planted them in memory of her.

Kasey and Joe Harris, at Mountain View R.V. Park, are winners of the Xeriscape Award presented by the Monticello Parks and Beautification Committee. Driving down Monticello’s Main Street, you may have noticed the beautiful hollyhocks in front of the property. Kasey and Joe have been hard at work improving the R.V. park, and it shows.

The roadside flowers are a welcome sight to residents and visitors alike. A new bath house for guests is full of rustic charm. Antique mining carts, a wagon, and old oil barrels turned into planters add to the rustic feel. Several grain silos are on site and they plan to bring in more.

They will turn one grain silo into a gazebo with a grassy area to sit on. Others will be transformed into overnight rentals. The Beautification Committee thanks the winners for the hard work they put into their yards. The winners receive $25 off next month’s water bill, courtesy of the City of Monticello. The group said it has been a very good season even with the drought. They look forward to next season for more yards to award.

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